spacetoday.net: MSL in good shape for Sunday night landing

MSL in good shape for Sunday night landing

Posted: Sun, Aug 5, 2012, 4:06 PM ET (2006 GMT)
MSL entry into Martian atmosphere (NASA/JPL)

NASA's Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) spacecraft is in good condition less than 12 hours before landing, project officials said Sunday morning. The project team said the spacecraft is close enough on course that a final trajectory correction maneuver scheduled for Sunday morning was canceled, and a final upload of parameters for the spacecraft's flight software may not be needed. MSL, featuring the Curiosity rover, is set to land within Gale Crater at 10:31 pm PDT Sunday (1:31 am EDT, 0531 GMT Monday). The rover carries a suite of instruments that scientists hope will help them better understand the past habitability of the planet.